Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates generally to pharmaceutical compositions, and more particularly, to topical pharmaceutical bases including natural components for treating inflammatory disorders.
Background Information
Inflammation is a process in which the body's white blood cells and different substances (inflammatory mediators) help to protect the organism from infections and foreign pathogens such as bacteria and viruses. However, in some diseases the body's immune system triggers an inflammatory response even when there are no foreign substances to fight off. When inflammation occurs, inflammatory mediators are released into the blood or affected tissues. This release of inflammatory mediators increases the blood flow to the area of injury or infection and results in redness and warmth. Additionally, some of the inflammatory mediators cause a leak of fluid into the tissues, resulting in swelling. This process stimulates nerves and causes pain.
Additionally, the increased blood flow and release of the chemicals attract white blood cells to the sites of inflammation. As a consequence, the increased number of cells and inflammatory substances causes irritation and swelling.
The most common inflammation sites in the body are the joints and the muscles. Many patients suffer from pain in the back, knee, hip, and fingers. Despite common beliefs, muscle and joint pain is not an inevitable sign of aging, nor are they usually a sign of a condition such as arthritis. Instead, muscle and joint pain is most often a sign of chronic inflammation or hormonal imbalance. Additionally, muscle inflammation is also caused by an allergic reaction, exposure to a toxic substance or medicine, another disease such as cancer or rheumatic conditions, a virus or other infectious agents.
Traditional muscle and joint inflammation treatments include medication, physical therapy, exercise, heat therapy (including microwave and ultrasound), orthotics, and assistive devices, among others.
Commonly employed medications for anti-inflammatory treatments include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID). These formulations may cause severe side-effects (e.g., gastrointestinal bleeding, liver damage, and increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular events). Therefore, there is a need for improved anti-inflammatory treatments that does not include aforementioned side-effects.